'Neighbours' actor turned drinks boss is raising £9,000 to make alcoholic ginger beer
An actor who swapped Australia for Staffordshire is hoping to raise over £9,000 to launch an alcoholic ginger beer inspired by his time down under.
Christian Heath, who now lives in Stafford, spent 11 years in the country and starred in the likes of TV soap Neighbours before moving last year.
It happened due to his then-pregnant partner having family in the borough, both taking the decision to move back before their newborn arrived.
But it was a taste of Australia which the 39-year-old found himself missing, having been unsuccessful in finding an alcoholic ginger beer in the UK.
Now he has started up drinks company Sunnyside Drinks Co and launched a Kickstarter to raise the £9,175 needed for him to enter trial production.
"I started up a Kickstarter about 10 days ago which is the worst time you can do it, I think," he said. "But I needed to move forward with it – I'm aiming to raise the £9,175 to basically get me into trial production with my manufacturer.
"That will give me about 1,700 cans which I'll give to backers, take some to wholesalers and distributors as well. When you start a drinks company, there's a huge amount of cost and it's not for very many cans – but they're like gold-dust to me.
"I've been living in Australia for the last 11 years. I used to drink a lot of alcoholic ginger beer and there's an abundance of brands over there, lots of competition. And I've since moved back here with my then-pregnant partner to be closer with family and have a newborn. I went into a pub and couldn't find any of the cool drinks I had abroad.
"I thought 'if you can't find it, why not create it?' and I started creating the first one in my kitchen and then we finally took it to a manufacturer. I've got three different products launching in the new year inspired by some locations and exotic flavours. They are very unique."
The actor, who was born in Belgium but has lived in multiple countries including the UK before his most recent spell in Australia, has been accepted onto a Master's in Entrepreneurship at Staffordshire and has undergone Staffordshire County's Council's Get Started start-up business scheme.
"The support has been incredible from everyone," he added. "I've never lived in the Midlands before but the people here are very supportive and very encouraging."
The actor added people who may by taking on Dry January and avoiding drinking for the month can still back the project, with the cans being handed out in February.
To donate, visit kickstarter.com/projects/sunnysidedrinksco/sunnyside-drinks-co-an-innovative-alcoholic-drinks-company.
